Plasma repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor levels are decreased in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Background Repressor element 1-silencing transcription (REST)/neuron-restrictive silencer factor is considered a new therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the relationship between AD and REST remains unclear. This study aimed to 1) examine plasma REST levels and REST gene levels in AD patients and 2) further explore the pathological relationships between REST protein levels and cognitive decline in clinical conditions, including medial temporal lobe atrophy. Methods Participants ( n = 252, mean age 68.95 ± 8.78 years) were recruited in Beijing, China, and then divided into a normal cognition (NC) group ( n = 89), an amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) group ( n = 79), and an AD dementia group ( n = 84) according to diagnostic criteria. All participants underwent neuropsychological assessments, laboratory tests, and neuroimaging scans (magnetic resonance imaging) at baseline. Plasma REST protein levels and the distribution of REST single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were compared among the three groups. Correlations between cognitive function, neuro-imaging results, and REST levels were determined by a multivariate linear regression analysis. Results The plasma REST levels in both the NC group (430.30 ± 303.43)pg/ml and aMCI group (414.27 ± 263.39)pg/ml were significantly higher than that in the AD dementia group (NC vs AD dementia group, p = 0.034; aMCI vs AD dementia group, p = 0.033). There was no significant difference between the NC and aMCI groups ( p = 0.948). No significant difference was found among the three groups regarding the genotype distribution (rs2227902 and rs3976529 SNPs) of the REST gene. The REST level was correlated with the left medial temporal lobe atrophy index ( r = 0.306, p = 0.023). After 6 months of follow-up, the REST level in the NC group was positively correlated with the change in the Mini-Mental State Examination score ( r = 0.289, p = 0.02). Conclusion The plasma REST protein level is decreased in AD dementia patients, which is associated with memory impairment and left temporal lobe atrophy and may have potential value for clinical diagnosis of AD dementia.